Hello Pelle,

Thanks for keeping us updated on these issues! :) Personally, I would vote for the blog.
The "Why"
1. First of all, because I think it's a better communication tool than a regular website. Seeing Paul or other people from there blog about the project would add an extra human touch to it, and it would be great for the readers to see things actually happening.

2. Another advantage of a blog would be the interactivity involved - comments would enable an open and transparent communication, and it would be a good opportunity for people who will hear of BEHOD to have their questions anskwered or to simply give their feedback. May even serve to create an online community.

3. Technically, a blog is also very easy to use and update, even for someone who only has basic computer knowledge.
I've listed only a few of the reasons why I prefer a blog.

4. Plus, there are the opportunities for promoting the blog by linking it in African blog directories, commenting on similar blogs etc.

5. It would not exclude the website part - you can have some "permanent" pages in a blog, with a presentation of the IT centre, organization, etc. It would only add a higher networking potential.

The "What"
As for the content, as you said, it should cover current events and challenges. I'd love to see Paul or other people from the Jinja community blog about the situation there, the problems they encounter, how the IT centre was perceived by the community and so on. How are they viewing it, day-to-day stories, etc.

The "Who"
BEHOD members.
Some of the students of the courses may be encouraged to write on the blog as well. Or other persons from Jinja involved.
Online contributors to the project, if they whish.

Allright. I'm done now. I'm waiting to see other opinions as well. :)

Regards,

Paula

Hi Pelle:

RE:Blog

In addition, the blog can be submitted to blog directories to expand the reach. Bloggers blogging on the same topic can connect with Jinja Central and thereby promote the project.

Technorati is also an excellent tool for identifying influential bloggers in the blogospehre blogging on similar themes, so it would be easy to do the research that way.

Jackie

If there is going to be a good supply of interesting news about BEHOD and the computer centre, then having a blog sounds like a great idea. But to keep people interested, blogs need to be active - not just a couple of initial posts then nothing for several months... that will not make it look like BEHOD is a committed organisation.

If you do want to put a simple website alongside that to contain all the fixed information, then there are options for getting free web space with no adverts.

I don't have any direct experience of either of these, but know that both have been used by other villages.

Kabissa
http://www.kabissa.org/

"Benefits and Obligations of Kabissa Membership
Any civil society organization working in or for Africa can benefit from Kabissa membership. Membership is free and gives your organization access to a range of ICT programs that are accessible, affordable, and specifically designed to address the needs of African organizations.

Benefits
• Affordable, secure Internet services, including hosting of e-mail accounts, Web sites, and mailing lists
• Personal support from Kabissa technical experts
• Priority access to Kabissa Internet training opportunities
• Listing for your organization in the Member Profile Directory
• Kabissa Gong Gong – a monthly eNewsletter on ICT issues for African civil society

Obligations
• Keep your organization’s profile and contact details current by updating them at least once a year
• Promote Kabissa to civil society organizations in your community and networks
• Contribute to the Kabissa community by interacting with other members
• Some hosting services also entail a financial obligation"

They offer a limited amount of free webspace, and could also be a source of other IT-related advice. You will also be listed in their membership directory where you can provide contact details and a summary of what the organisation does. You can post news items about your project on their site. From experience with other Nabuur villages, the reistration process is very simple and fast.

So you may decide to register with them even if you decide not to use them to host a website.

Awardspace
http://www.awardspace.com/

Are a commercial hosting company who also offer a limited free hosting service
You can either register your own domain name (which you will have to pay for) or will get one in the format www.name.awardspace.com

Mary

Hi,
I guess we need to understand the need clearly.
A blog can be a sub division of the website, and in no way can replace the same. So the idea of putting a website in place with a blog channel should be more appropriate. Also there are adequate providers across the globe who would offer free hosting space for charity organisations. i can take responsibility for that once the project starts.
thanks,
edsley neoson daniel r :-)

Hi Daniel,
Thats great thank you so much for the help and please can you contact Pelle for the offer i know he will handle you properly We have already started and we need it badly.

I can offer this illustration of blog and web site connected.

http://ourcongo.blogspot.com/

I originally tried to put it all in a web site. Examples:

http://aplaceof.info/kiliba/

then wanted to separate from my own web site and went here:

http://ourcongo.net/

but that developed the problem of 'too many clicks' and I have to simplify it!

So:

- web site as main shop window

- blogspot as news, very very easy to update and insert links, and all the world understands blogs and comes to them

There are places that give space for web sites to charitable things, but please beware of very very ugly sites, with much advertising. Nothing is free, you need it to look good. People make decisions about web sites in fractions of second, so it MUST be attractive. People become committed to web sites if they like them... so the front has to be attractive and the internal links interesting.

Here is another site I have done:

http://aplaceof.info/acoke/
...in discussions with NGO at the moment, so no update right now.

and here is another recent blogsite:

http://nairobiyouthsports.blogspot.com/

This is a very quick and easy start.. .wanting a place to draw attention of tourists and sporting teams to basic needs

Hope this helps

cheers

Dennis

I share Paula's sentiments completely. I vote fo a blog - for all the reasons put forward so eloquently, by Paula!

Hi neighbors:

I've been collecting blog urls that may be useful to link to- once Paul's blog is active.

My goal is to collect about 5- 10 to start off with.

They appear to be very informative, although I cannot speak to thier popularity. It appears the bloggers are committed to their projects for the long term, and therefore the blog will enjoy longevity, however I cannot be completely sure a this stage.

I have set up a Google alert and thereby can explore bloggers focused on the same topic related to issues affecting youth in Uganda.

I will also do some research on Technorati to find some of the most popular bloggers, if possible on the topic.

http://ugandaindegrees.blogspot.com

http://storiesfromuganda.blogspot.com

http://qeas.wordpress.com

Dear all,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Sorry for the delayed reply... the last days have been hectic. Expect to be back on track soon (few days)

Warm regards,

Pelle :-D

Hello Pelle,

I finally got my Skype up and running - and yesterday evening, actually managed to listen to a few "Skypecasts". After that, I went back to writing an article for my column in the Insight newspaper here - as well as for posting on my blogs on two websites.

It suddenly dawned on me, whiles taking a break from writing, that regular Skype conference calls, could be a powerful enabling tool, which could make virtually all the www.nabuur.com village projects, bang up to date - in terms of the actual point projects have reached, on the ground.

That way, neighbours (such as myself!), who are not IT -savvy, and consequently are unable to navigate their way around the nabuur.com village pages, easily; will be au fait with things - and make better inputs, as a result!

Plus, its much more interesting, to be able to talk to and encourage, the local representatives - who often have to shoulder the heavy burden of facilitating things on the ground, alone: and usually at consifderable expenmse to themselves, in developing nations in which official inertia, can make what will take an hour elsewhere, sometimes take months to accomplish!

I am putting this idea out into the open - and hope others will mull over it - after which we can all then decide if we will try such conference calls, at least once each month, for the next three months! Hopefully, Nabuur.com HQ too will consider it for the rest of the Nabuur.com villages! Best wishes to all,at Jinja Central!

Regards,
Kofi.

The blog is an easy way to start.. as with

http://nairobiyouthsports.blogspot.com/

... you can just practice writing in public, build confidence... it is the local voice that counts.

I would be very glad if Jackie could explain how the linking to other blogs is achieved.

best wishes

Dennis

Dear Paul

We need to kick this along, make a start... The easiest way in is with a blog... would you like me to help you make a start with a blog?

These are styles I have adopted to date:

http://ourcongo.blogspot.com/
http://artfromourcongo.blogspot.com/

for Kiliba and Bukavu

http://easterncongo.blogspot.com/

for Nyalebe (one day old)

http://nairobiyouthsports.blogspot.com/

for 'Makadara'

The following is extract from email I have sent to those involved with those blogs and also to Jessica or kyarumba.org

I cannot do web sites for everyone and I see others here volunteering... my thought is that we make a start with a blog and you get a sense of how you want to put your story there. Your business plan (on which comment separately) will need presentation some other way... and can be done well, I think. The key thing to consider is 'what is going to remain still, steady, and what is going to change a lot...?" The blog for the changing news, some kind of web site for the constant, stable information.

I know also that you are a pastor. You will see that associated with www.ourcongo.net is a site with information on Flory's church:
http://ourcongo.net/chirezi/remac/index.htm

While Nabuur is a non-religious community and you may want to present your overall project as secular, you may want, to generate support from other Christian communities, to have built a site about your own church community.

The other point about a presence on the web is that while in some cases people WILL find you that way, mainly it is like a business card. Yes, you can leave your business card in a shop window, but mainly you pass your card to someone... with a domain on the web, you can't just sit back, you have to (other neighbours here also can) pass your 'card' to people - messages saying "look at this." Then people can learn more about the project.

I have put more ideas on this in a message at
http://www.nabuur.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=6644&forum=35...
posted 2007/10/26 8:12

Please let me know if you want me to start the basis of a blog site for you. It will need a name... one that catches the eye, the mind, the heart - instantly.

best wishes

Dennis

Dear All,

I guess I am a late joiner in this discussion. Although I agree with the comments about why the blog is a popular tool, I recommend placing the blog as a part of a website.

This allows addition of features later in an easier manner. With time, the demands on the blog/website will grow, and these can be addressed by a more open design today. I agree with Dennis that one can start with a blog and extend it onto the site.

However, its important to focus on the characteristics/modules/features which are desired, at this stage, so that while the blog is setup, one can brainstorm on a desired architecture for the rest of the site.

With Regards.

Nrip Nihalani

Hello:

I don't know exactly how is the status of the blog/website project but there is a framework i have used, that is pretty straightforward to install, and after it is set up it can be used by anyone to update and edit the webpage.

It is based in wiki format and it is possible to make a static webpage, incorporate a blog and also create a wiki section.

It is open source
http://www.pmwiki.org/
and it has been applied successfully
http://www.pmwiki.org/wiki/PmWiki/SuccessStories

It has updated forums if any problem arises and its maintenance should be minimum. Since it is possible to get a free host this could be a very useful tool.

Even if the blog is created separately in a blog server (to keep the linkage possibilities), I think a Wiki about the project could be a very strong feature.

It can also be a nice tool for the children to post webcontent, construct a website and/or maintain their own wiki, with their experiences.

Well, check it and see if it is useful for the purposes of the project.

Cheers

Nuno

Hello all

I have been away from discussion here, busy with many things.

Can I draw attention to my discussion of WEB PRESENCE at
http://www.nabuur.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=6641&start=10...

and at

http://www.nabuur.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=5700&start=10...

I think what is critical is to aim for simplicity with clarity of purpose. To want a web site is not in itself an objective, it is a means. It is always a problem with computers, applications and internet that the 'means', the 'medium' or 'media' or the machines or the programs on them TEND TO TAKE CHARGE, TO MAKE US THEIR SLAVES. So it is good to say always "no person or machine will make me a slave" --- keep the vision. And decide on simple things, what is the first tiny step. All my observation of Nabuur over time is that people tend to build giant castles of business plans, which may or may not suit local circumstances and (so far as I know) never get support out in the world. So - I would avoid a giant castle web site, I would make web presence seductive and exciting and positive people.... think about the way the language of disability is changing here in my country. We do not speak of handicapped people - buildings and roads may be handicaps. We do not speak of disabled people. We now are asked to speak of 'people with disabilities' - the emphasis is on the whole person, the disability is just there to be overcome. So the web presence should (I believe) say "we shall overcome" not "we are disabled" Get people to come and join you in looking for sunshine.

best wishes

Dennis